A cholesterol test is an important laboratory examination that tests a blood sample and provides a measurement of the patient’s cholesterol level. It is recommended that individuals over the age of 20 years old receive a cholesterol test every five years. As a patient grows older the frequency of testing may increase.
In understanding more about a cholesterol test, it is important to know what a cholesterol test is, what the test results mean and methods of treatment.
What Is A Cholesterol Test?
A cholesterol test is known as a lipid profile and generally measures the HDL and LDL cholesterol levels as well as the triglycerides. The test is conducted on the blood sample that is drawn by laboratory personnel through a doctor’s order.
The test is fairly painless with the only possibility of discomfort due to the insertion of a needle into the patients arm. The opposite end of the needle is inserted into a blood collection tube and the cholesterol test is performed on the blood sample.
In addition, the patient is asked to fast prior to the exam. This simply means that the patient should not eat any food 12 hours before the blood sample is to be collected.
What The Results Mean?
When the lab results come back from the medical laboratory there will be two figures that the doctor will be especially interested in. Those numbers will correspond to HDL and LDL cholesterol levels.
A good LDL cholesterol level should fall in the range of 200 mg or less. This is an optimal level and indicates that the patient is at a lower risk for coronary heart disease. If the LDL cholesterol level ranges from 200 to 239 mg this is considered as borderline. Unfortunately, if the LDL level is 240 mg or higher this indicates a high blood cholesterol level and puts the person at great risk for coronary heart disease.
In regards to the HDL level of cholesterol, less is not better. This means that for a man who has an HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg or less puts that individual at a greater risk for heart disease. This level for women corresponds to a level of 50 mg or less. An optimal HDL level reflected on the cholesterol test should be in the range of 60 mg. or above.
Treatment
There are three basic treatments that a doctor can take in regards to abnormal cholesterol test results. Those three responses can include ordering a low-fat diet, suggesting an exercise regimen and medication.
Often, when a cholesterol test indicates that the HDL and LDL levels of cholesterol are abnormal, the easiest treatment method of normalizing those levels of cholesterol is through diet. Often a doctor will prescribe a low-fat diet which means that the patient will need to eat less animal products. This diet will limit their use of eggs, cheeses, cream cheese, butter, etc. In addition the patient’s intake of red meat and lamb should be limited as well. It is also important that the patient does not eat large amounts of processed food which can contain high levels of saturated fatty foods.
In addition, another treatment method of normalizing cholesterol levels is through exercise. This exercise should be in the form of a highly stimulating cardiovascular exercise routine.
Finally, the doctor may be forced to prescribe medications. These medications can help to reduce or absorb high levels of cholesterol within the blood stream.
Filed under Bad Cholesterol, Cholesterol, Cholesterol Chart, Cholesterol Control, Cholesterol Levels, Cholesterol Monitor, Cholesterol Ratio, Cholesterol Test, Good Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, High Cholesterol, High Cholesterol Diet, High Cholesterol Foods, High Cholesterol Symptoms, LDL Cholesterol, Reduce Cholesterol by on Jun 14th, 2008. Comment. 
Finest 10 Tips for Better Heart Wellness
Valentine’s Day makes February a natural for American Heart Four week period. How could you be sure your heart may maintain going pitter-patter, without going kerplunk? Permit us tally the manners …
Right here are our leading 10 techniques for a healthy ticker:
1. Fill up on fiber. Not simply does fiber support reduce levels of LDL (” substandard”) blood cholesterol, it can easily aid weight management. Being plump rears your danger of cardiac arrest by a third, while being too heavy doubles it. While two-thirds of Americans are too heavy, only half get sufficient thread. Finest forms feature oats, beans, raspberries, blackberries, oranges and green peas. If you want to learn more information, you should click here: click here.
2. Go strawberries. I did when I found out that 99 per-cent of females and also 90 percent of men don’t receive a lot of potassium in their eating plan. Responsible for governing the fluid balance in our cells, potassium also blunts the results of excess salt. Excessive sodium and insufficient potassium is a recipe for hypertension. Strike a healthier balance by cutting down on sodium and also improving potassium intake with strawberries, yams, broccoli as well as kiwi.
3. Point out “no” to that additional cup of joe. 4 or even more cups of everyday brew might ramp blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid connected with boosted possibility of cardiovascular disease. Drinking much more than two cups of coffee a day can easily set the arteries as well as trigger arteriosclerosis. Switch over to herbal tea; its heart-healthy perks feature lower blood stress and also lessened irritation.
4. “Beet” heart disease. Beets include the antioxidant betanin, which are able to assist maintain LDL cholesterol levels from congesting your arteries, according to an investigation published in the Review of Agricultural and Food Chemical make up. Additionally, this stem veggie is a very good source of folic acid, which helps to divide that heart-hurtin’ homocysteine. Leading resources of folic acid include spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce and also papaya.
5. Come to be a much better listener. College of Baltimore analysts discovered that folks with “number one personalities” had a 47 percent higher risk of heart disease when compared to their more person, passive peers. Hence just how perform you understand if you’re “prevailing”? A further research detected multiple markers – featuring the propensity to interrupt! When you want to know more information about this topic, then simply visit this site – borage seed oil benefits.
6. The “L” word your heart definitely longs for: lycopene. This heart-healthy phytonutrient -; identified in tomatoes, watermelon and also pink grapefruit – could drop blood cholesterol degrees as well as reduce soreness. Harvard researchers discovered that consuming seven or even more servings of tomatoes a week might just lessen the hazard of heart attack by 30 per cent.
7. Select healthy and balanced fats. Monounsaturated fats (believe olive oil, avocado, nuts) – when used in place of saturated fats (assume butter, bacon, ) – assist low cholesterol. An additional healthy fat – omega-3 – helps diminish inflammation. Omega-3 sources include wild salmon, walnuts and flaxseed.
8. Do not turn breakfast in to break-feast. While skipping breakfast every day literally decreases your metabolic process, overdoing is no greater. A brand-new research carried out at the University at Buffalo discovered that large oily breakfasts trigger the discharge of inflammatory chemicals connected with blocked arteries. Thus skip the pile of flapjacks as well as pick a strawberry-banana smoothie.
9. Ode to soy. Twenty-five grams of soy products protein for every day are able to assist lesser cholesterol, according to the American Heart Organization. Soy’s additional heart-healthy nutrients feature folic acid and magnesium mineral (which helps keep regular blood strain). Soymilk, edamame, tofu as well as soynuts are simply a few of the many ways to luxuriate in soy.
10. Go for a raise. In HDL cholesterol, that is. Much higher levels of this “very good” cholesterol can be almost as vital as economical levels of LDL cholesterol levels at keeping cardiovascular disease at bay. In addition to exercise, quitting using tobacco and confining trans fats, an University of Scranton study found that drinking cranberry juice could aid boost HDL levels. For more details on this special topic, I want you to check this out: hemp powder.
Filed under Reduce Cholesterol by on May 16th, 2012. Comment.
If you’ve been told by your doctor that you are fat, you urgently need to decide to lose some weight to avoid some serious health problems. In the American population today, 1 out of 3 people are thought to be fat. Plenty of the obesity is caused by the North American society generally. In just recent years we have developed a fast-paced world full of junk food and fast meals.
These meal are not good fat burners, so our bodies store the fat till later . This is what can cause the obesity. There are ways that you can get rid of the weight; if you’re happy to give it a try. Here are merely a few tips that you can use to lose your weight.
* Eating small meals 6 times each day is a great way for anyone to begin their weight loss program. This is going to help you raise your metabolism and keep your appetite longings away. It will also provide you with plenty of energy.
* Eating a lot of greens and vegetables are another great way to lose weight. You must put these in place of that pre-processed food. When you are feeling like snacking train yourself to snatch something like a carrot or celery instead of those potato chips; you have up in your cupboards. The packaged foods are always filled with calories so when you’re replacing them with fresh fruit and veg. These are also superb for your skin. Also eating fresh fruit and veg can help to reduce your blood pressure, scale back your likelihood of heart disease, and cancer among others.
* Lemon juice is another thing that may help although it is a little extreme. Lemon juice has been proved to cut back your cravings. If you drink 2 glasses you won’t feel hungry at all throughout the day
* You need to also be sure to drink plenty of water. The water will help regulate your body temperature. Your body also demands the water for overall health.
* Also eating a healthy and controlled diet is important. This is particularly so when it comes to breakfast. By no means should you skip your breakfast. A high whey protein shake or smoothie is fast and easy and can provide a large piece of your daily dietary wants.
* Next you’ll be wanting to raise your metabolic rate rate. You achieve this by doing exercise. When you are working out you are burning mandatory fat and calories which will aide you in your weight loss goals.
These are all critical tips for you to follow when you’re overweight. A good thing to note though, that even if you are not obese, these tips will be useful for you to lose weight as well. When you are fat your possibility of developing major and life-endangering illness, is very high. Losing pounds is the best way to cut back your risks.
Deb Younkin is a very long time analyst and promoter of healthful living andhealthy weight loss. Deb loves sharing info in articles on her Isagenix Nutritional Cleansing internet site.
Filed under Cholesterol by on May 12th, 2012. Comment.